Hansi Flick‘s faith in his players unlocked Barcelona in recent 4-0 win over Real Madrid | OneFootball

Against all odds, FC Barcelona delivered an El Clasico performance for the ages at the Santiago Bernabeu. A game that had it all, from back and forth attacking to key defensive moments, it was truly a spectacular night in Madrid. Unfortunately for Los Blancos, Barcelona were perhaps the only team that left the stadium smiling.

Much of the credit for that spectacular 4-0 win has to ultimately also go to Hansi Flick. His high-line tactic eventually ended up being the right move for this game, despite the fact that many thought that it would be dangerous for Barcelona to rely on it against the offensive strength of Real Madrid.

Instead of shying away from his usual tactics, however, Flick was adamant about sticking to what has worked so far this season. Even ahead of the game, he made sure to let that much be known:

“We won’t change our approach just because it’s Real Madrid.”

Moreover, as highlighted by SPORT, this game showcased exactly just how much of a ‘master’ Hansi Flick is when it comes to player and team psychology. Ahead of the Clasico itself, the German coach was mentally preparing his players for this game and instilled a certain sense of belief in them that proved to be essential.

While many point towards the chances that Madrid squandered in this game, Flick had already anticipated that his tactic would allow Los Blancos to have opportunities in front of goal. Instead, he wanted his players to focus on outscoring the opponents and making the most out of the team’s in-form forwards.

He also focused directly on Inaki Pena, the second-choice Barcelona goalkeeper, and wanted him to remain calm ahead of this game despite the fact that he has often been criticized in the past for his performances in big games.

Ultimately, Flick’s faith in him and the fact that he told everyone even ahead of the game that Pena would be starting has seemingly worked out perfectly for the German coach following the Spaniard’s great performance against the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr.

By staying true to his tactics and putting his faith in his players from the top of the field all the way to the goalkeeper, Flick saw his team remain resilient and constantly advancing just as they did against Bayern Munich. Ultimately, that just goes on to show the kind of benefits that an experienced top-level coach can bring with him.